Education is free and compulsory

The public schools are now all under the charge of laymen. Religion in like manner is taken under the cognizance of the State, and falls within the province of a special minister. The State places all forms of religion on an equal footing and profe es to deal impartially with all by paying salaries to their ministers. With the quality of the particular religion, therefore, the State concerns itself no further than simply to know that it is not obviously subversive of social order or morals. The Roman Cat holies form about 78% per cent. of the population, the Protestants le than 2; many profe no religion. By the law of 1872, which has been supplemented down to 1892, personal military service is declared to be obligatory. Every French man 20 years old and not unfit for military service, must serve, first in the regular army (armee active) for 3 years, then in the reserve of the regular army for 10 years, next in the territorial army for 6 years, and finally in the reserve of the territorial army for 6 years. The active army and _its reserves are distributed all-over France, but the territorial army and its reserves are confined to fixed areas. The total strength of the regular army on a peace footing is 616,092 men, of whom 380,881 are infantry, 76,131 cavalry, 81,527 artillery, 13,426 engineers, 20,- 700 staff and administration, 11,418 military train, and 22,861 gendarmerie. The navy includes 20 first-cla battleships, 11 second-cla , and 7 third cla ; 14 port-defense ships; 51 first, second, and third-cla cruisers; 250 torpedo boats, and 22 torpedo gunboats. These “numbers exclude transports and non-service ve els. The navy is manned partly by conscription and partly by voluntary enlistment.